Stephanie Gilmore Makes History Winning an 8th World Title at Trestles

Infinite style. Eight world titles. One for the history books.

Trestles Beach attracts surfers from all over the world to experience the perfect waves. Trestles are named after the railroad bridge over San Mateo Creek near the entrance to the beach. The 3½-mile-long beach consists of five separate surf breaks: Cotton, Uppers, Middles, Lowers, and Church.

After weeks of anticipation following the last surfing event in Tahiti, Lower Trestles was the hot spot for a World Championship. The rocky shoreline was standing room only as fans claimed their spot in the to catch the world’s best surfers compete for a World Title.

In clean, generous conditions the women took to the water first, with 7x World Champ Stephanie Gilmore paddling out with Brisa Hennessy in Heat 1. While Brisa opened the heat in style with a strong 7.00-point wave, Gilmore found her sweet spot towards the back half of the heat and in true buzzer beater style, clinching the winning points on her final wave.

Steph set the tone of final heats early, firing through the lineup with an 8.33 ride and managed to carry that intensity all the way to the final buzzer of her second heat. With the crowd and competition site erupting in cheers, Steph cemented her name in history.

Gilmore is now — an 8x World Champion. Steph Gilmore broke down in tears minutes after the reality had sunk in that the Aussie had just become the greatest female surfer of all time.

The 34-year-old made surfing history at California's Lower Trestles after beating World No.1 Carissa Moore to claim a record eighth world title.

Adding excitement to the historic moment, Aussie legend Mick Fanning and 11-time world champion Kelly Slater were part of the commentary team for Gilmore's record-breaking day. Gilmore’s eight world titles, spanning three separate decades (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2022), is eclipsed only by male surfer Kelly Slater, with eleven.

"I'm so proud of her, it's so great. She had such a tough way to start the year, it was a real bummer for Steph," Kelly Slater stated.

GFG congratulates Steph Gilmore on winning her eighth world title and becoming the most successful surfer in women’s pro surfing history.

Legend.